Florida State Basketball Hoping Xavier Rathan-Mayes Is Eligible Next Season

By Gregory Philson
Xavier Rathan-Mayes
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida State Seminoles were probably the most disappointing team in the ACC during the 2013-14 NCAA season because the group could not build off of the size inside and live up to expectations. Coach Leonard Hamilton is not the best at coming up with creative plays and really does not seem to know how to coach offense. That was definitely a problem last season.

The one thing Hamilton has going for him is defense, but he may get a shooter that the team desperately needs with Xavier Rathan-Mayes possibly coming in for the 2014-15 season after being ruled ineligible last year.

Rathan-Mayes is a great outside shooter who has an in-between game that could help in many ways. He is 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds. That should make him a matchup problem against smaller point guards and slower shooting guards. While he is not super-strong, he can still create his own shot and does not need others to set him up.

This will be beneficial when Florida State needs a key shot and the play drawn up by Hamilton does not work out. Rathan-Mayes will also open up the post because defense will have to respect his shot. Scouts agreed when Rathan-Mayes was being recruited that he can light up the scoreboard with his shooting. He was an extremely highly-rated player for being FSU’s top recruit in 2013, and he just may be the perfect fit for the team.

Obviously Rathan Mayes must mature his game and grow as a student. If he actually is able to play next year, he can help turn FSU into a respectable team.

Gregory T. Philson is an ACC basketball writer at www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GTPhilson, “Like” him on Facebook, and add him to your network on Google. Read more here.

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